What a Wonderful World
by Liete
Summary: -UK/fem!US, AU- 'But through it all they are together, happy, and that's always what matters in the end.'


**What a Wonderful World  
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**By: Liete**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters portrayed.**

**A/N: ****Contains fem!US. Based on the wonderful opening sequence to the movie _Up_.  
><strong>

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><p>"My name is Annie F. Jones and I'm going to be the world's most famous explorer!"<p>

She's an uncouth child who dreams of the day when women can serve in the military so she can fly around in jets and save the world. She's loud, stubborn and has no manners. Her family has very little social standing. By all means they shouldn't have even met.

But Arthur forges an unlikely friendship with her as they bond over their mutual love of dirigibles and the radio programs that neither will miss.

"I'm going to put everything in this book, see? All of my adventures, all of the heroic stuff I do! Everything!"

She has a photo album, the first pages of which are filled with photographs of her and the silly things she picked up that she felt the need to paste in the book. The last pages are empty, though she insists that one day they will be overflowing with her accomplishments.

"You're going to help me, right? I'm going to be the world's most famous explorer and you'll do everything you can to help me! We'll get our own dirigible and travel the world! Cross your heart!"

There is simply no refusing Annie, Arthur finds, and he lifts his hand, crossing his heart with a shy smile.

It comes as a surprise to no one when they decide to get married. There is a collective sigh of "_finally_" when they announce their engagement and all show up to witness what everyone, including Arthur, knew was inevitable all along.

The priest barely finishes saying "you may kiss the bride" before Annie throws herself on Arthur, and Arthur laughs as he catches her, returning her enthusiastic kiss before they turn to smile at their beaming crowd.

Their honeymoon, if it can be called that, is spent fixing up their new house. Although Annie breaks some china and they argue about where to place furniture, in the end it is their new home for their new marriage. Arthur and Annie Kirkland.

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><p>He knew what he was getting himself into by marrying Annie Jones, but her enthusiasm is still, at times, too much for him. Everything she takes on, even simple tasks like housework, is done with zeal.<p>

Annie is not content to be just a simple housewife, however, and she takes a job educating children at a museum. The children have the same energy level as her, and everyone knows that she is the best at what she does.

Arthur works in the same museum as an assistant to the curator, and they enjoy a modest, but comfortable living.

Most enjoyable is the time they spend alone together. Annie often wants to play a sport, but they also lie on the grass watching clouds and pointing out shapes to each other. Sometimes just the simple act of sitting together, reading or listening to music, is the best feeling in the world.

Without Annie, he would be content to hide away somewhere no one would bother him. She allows him to open up and enjoy the world. Words cannot sum up the happiness she brings him.

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><p>He starts to notice little things around the house changing at first. Certain objects are placed on higher shelves and Annie takes more care in cleaning up. When asked about it, she gives a small mischievous smile.<p>

It's when she starts painting the spare room a pastel yellow and demands that he set up a swing in the front yard that he starts to catch onto what she's planning.

"Well, don't you want to be ready, Daddy?" she asks, everything about her even brighter than usual.

His smile starts off small-hesitant-but it grows until he's beaming. He scoops Annie into his arms and spins her around, laughing all the while.

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><p>The room is too sterile, too cold, and it adds to his growing nausea. Annie sits beside him, wringing her hands as she waits for the doctor. There have been too many questions of what has gone wrong or shouldn't they have seen more signs by now, among other things. Her excitement has dimmed into a constant stream of worries, and with Annie so upset, it's hard for Arthur to feel anything but concern.<p>

The doctor returns and they both tense. He has a grim look on his face, and Arthur feels his stomach lurch.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kirkland," the doctor says, but any words after that become a blur.

Arthur is only aware of Annie and how her expression changes from wide-eyed shock to utter distress. Her breathing goes shallow and tears well up in her eyes as the doctor continues to speak, telling her the words she never wanted to hear. Finally she collapses forward, burying her face in her hands as she weeps. Arthur hesitates, but wraps his arms around her, pulling her into a gentle embrace.

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><p>She spends several days in what seems to be a fog. She goes through all of the motions of carrying on with life, but it's clear that her heart isn't in what she does. Her focus is hazy at best, and her movements are sluggish. When she finishes what she absolutely needs to do, she spends the remainder of her time sitting in the swing that was meant for their child.<p>

Arthur watches her day after day, at a loss of what he can do or say to bring some of the light back into her life.

An old book still rests on one of their shelves, and Arthur pulls it out by chance, realizing that it's the photo album Annie had put together when she was a child. His heart flutters, and he rushes with the book outside.

Annie swings listlessly back and forth, but stops when he kneels in front of her. He gently places the book in her lap, and he watches as some of the warmth and energy returns to her face. Not a word is spoken as she looks at him and smiles.

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><p>"You must promise that you're going to do everything in your power to help me be the world's most famous explorer! Cross your heart!"<p>

He lifts his hand, crossing his heart, and this time she follows suit.

At first they faithfully set aside money, each contribution made in the hopes of one day seeing the world.

But life happens, and there are emergencies and expenses that come before childhood dreams of traveling the world and having a lot of adventures. Soon the money they set aside is meant for such emergencies and thoughts of filling Annie's photo album are forgotten.

Despite not traveling the world, they manage to have a happy life together-day after day, year after year. They pull through monetary setbacks, fights, illness, and natural disasters, but through it all they are together, happy, and that's always what matters in the end.

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><p>Arthur is growing older and he feels it. Each morning his joints ache and his hearing and vision have been severely compromised. Waking up with Annie, who manages to make the best of everything despite how her own body lacks the energy that made her so unruly in her youth, makes each day that much better.<p>

There is no time for adventures anymore, but there is plenty of time for long walks, watching the sun set on a hill, and dancing to music playing on their antique record player. Even their arguments, once explosive, are now more like routine.

He's become more observant in his old age, so it's not hard for him to notice when Annie's grip on his hand becomes less firm and her reaction to things slows even more.

Arthur decides that, even if it's just for a little while, he'll take Annie to a place where she can have one of her adventures. He buys the tickets and arranges for a nice dinner to tell her the good news, but he never has the opportunity.

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><p>He's tired of sterile hospital rooms, the beeping of heart monitors and the constant shuffle of nurses and doctors never allowing him more than a moment to be alone with Annie.<p>

Annie was invincible-it was something that he'd always believed. She was full of strength and energy that he never could quite keep up with-and perhaps that is what sped her to her end before him.

When she is awake and coherent, she looks through her photo album-the one that was meant to be filled with all of the mementos of the adventures she was going to go on, the ones he had promised he would help her take. Their life was dull and boring, and now she's going to leave it unfulfilled. Guilt eats away at his heart, but he won't let it show.

She finally passes the book to him, weak and weary, and he gently takes her hand in his. She squeezes back for a moment, but even that gentle pressure is so weak and brief that tears spring to his eyes. He kisses the back of her hand and then her forehead.

"Good night, Annie," he says, because he refuses to say goodbye.

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><p>There are flowers and balloons at her funeral, all brightly colored because someone who had always shined so brilliantly could not possibly be honored with dreary blacks and whites.<p>

He sits there, stony-faced and silent. Many offer their condolences, while others whisper behind their hands about his lack of a reaction to anything happening around him. They can say what they like, Arthur doesn't care.

Annie is gone, and the part of his life that gave it meaning has left with her.


End file.
